merciless

KUREOSAN

29

Daphne breathes deep, the cold air filling her lungs. She feels more awake than ever, even though it's as early as two in the morning. She can't help the time, seeing how she's been called to help someone.

She gasps as the front wheel of her bike runs through a puddle, splashing her and sending chills up her spine. Her hand goes to the bag across her body, her main concern being keeping the first aid kit inside dry. She hates being alone but Darren is once again wasting his time in another boy's bed, entertaining them with his confidence.

Of course, they never stay the night after experiencing his nightmares.

She shivers, an earthquake with fissures of cold air and cliffs of torture. His nightmares and her nightmares are the same because their terrors are the same. While he is so much more, they cling to each other like leaves to a dying branch.

He is certainly a mess, Daphne thinks, while also knowing she wouldn't try to fix him.

Their parents already tried that, and look where it got them-six feet underground.
That's where.

+++

There's blood running down the brick walls of the club, a mix of the victim's and the killer's. only difference between them is one's alive. She hopes to a god that she stopped believing in long ago that it's in the assassin's favor.

When she sees Pearl, bloody and honestly, looking like she got hit by multiple trains, she can't help but suck in a breath. She's never gotten a call from Pearl that was for Pearl, helping her create the idea that Pearl was invincible. Untouchable; and now she's shaken.

Still she has a job to do.

Make sure to them some sort of drug, a painkilker or anesthesia if you're giving them stitches.

She grabs a needle full of cloudy liquid and gently takes Pearl's arm, feeling through her dark skin for a vein. Her expert fingers soon find one and she quickly breaks the skin, her dark eyes clear as she pushes the liquid under the skin. Then she turns back to the bag, frowning when she sees a package of soaked gauze. Another reason to hate the rain.

Now is when you really need to be careful, princess. Find the deepest cut, take your needle and some thread, and make sure to sew it up only a few layers under the skin. That way it can be easily be removed later on.

From the rain and her general shakiness and fragile nature, you would think Daphne would be the worst at steady tasks like this; still, once the needle pierces the skin it's a part of her and an extension of her fingers. It's what she does best. She quickly sews up a nauseatingly deep gash under Pearl's rib, carefully prodding the skin with the pads of her fingers to make sure it isn't inflamed and possibly infected. After giving herself the all clear she tugs Pearl's shirt back down and sighs, packing up her first-aid kit.

"Daph, this anesthetic doesn't work for shit."

Daphne frowns, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"I don't have a lot of options, there are hardly any hospitals with low-security, sorry."

Pearl's hardened eyes soften and she reaches over to play with Daphne's hair, knowing it's about the only thing that will calm her down.

"Come on, did you ride your bike here? I'm sure we can fit it in the back of my car."

"Oh, yes. Thank you!" Daphne smiles awkwardly, never knowing how to respond when Pearl is soft, normal. Not even glancing back at the dead body in their wake, they fall in step together quickly. She takes her hand and lets the head assassin lead her to the car like a small child scared of getting lost.

Isn't that what she is?